Sunday, August 28, 2011

Earthquake knocks stones off National Cathedral

The East Coast earthquake damaged three of
the four pinnacles atop the main tower of the landmark Washington
National Cathedral on Tuesday, and there were visible cracks in the
church's structure.

The pinnacles are the top spires on the
cathedral's towers and are the highest point in the city.

The tops of
the pinnacles -- capstones known as finials -- fell off, littering the
surrounding grounds with stones and small chunks of rubble.

"It's not massive damage but it's very serious," Sam Lloyd, dean of the National Cathedral, said.

There
are also cracks in the flying buttresses at the cathedral's east end,
the oldest part of the structure, which often has been the site of
funerals and memorials for presidents and other members of the nation's
political elite.

A statement
issued by the cathedral said the buttresses supporting the main,
central tower appeared to be sound, and the tower itself was not leaning
as a spokesman had reported previously.

The
statement said there are some cracks on upper floors in the interior of
the church, but no damage to stained glass windows has been reported.

The
cathedral, popular with tourists, has been evacuated and closed and
stone masons are assessing the damage.

Structural engineers are expected
to survey the damage overnight.

Built
between 1907 and 1990, the cathedral is an Episcopal Church landmark in
the nation's capital and is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world.

Located in northwest Washington near foreign embassies and the vice
president's residence, the Gothic-like structure rises higher than the
Washington Monument and its spires are the highest point in the city.